Boys preview: Any one of three Regional champions will most likely capture this year’s event. The favorite is undefeated Edward Cheserek, who ran away with the Northeast title, winning by 25 seconds in 15:20. However, Futsum Zeinasellassie of Indianapolis captured the Midwest crown at 14:58 and last week won the Nike Nationals. Count local runner Darren Fahy of La Costa Canyon, who won the West Regional at 15:29, as another prerace favorite. He is undefeated and knows this course like no one else in the field.

Girls preview: Talk about a wide-open race. The focus is on Midwest champion Molly Seidel of Wisconsin, who included among her victims two weeks ago Erin Finn of Michigan, the top returning finalist after placing seventh a year ago. The real veterans often save a little at the Regionals and come back strong in the championship. Diminutive Karlie Garcia (4-10, 80 pounds) of Roseville loves to lead and was the impressive West Regional champ last week. Pennsylvania’s Angel Piccirillo (Northeast) and Texas’ Cali Roper (South) are looking to contend as well.

Get out fast with the leaders. Don’t hang back.

That’s the salient advice for Saturday’s Foot Locker National Championships from Marc Davis, who in 1986 bolted into the lead over the challenging Balboa Park course, used the two trips up the long, steep Upas Street hill to stay out front and then cruised in for the victory his senior year at nearby San Diego High.

Davis, 41, now the communications director for the Boston Athletic Association, was asked his opinion on how to run the 3.1-mile cross country course that will be the site of this year’s championships.

“There is no waiting, you can’t sit back,” said Davis, who clocked a time of 14 minutes, 38 seconds, just two seconds off the fastest time ever. “You can’t wait for the second hill to make your move.

“No winner ever came from way behind because the course has so many turns that there’s no real time to make a move. You don’t have to be in front, but you have to be among the leaders.”

There’s still another reason the winner is usually among the top 10 at the mile mark.

“These are the best runners in the nation,” Davis said. “Every one of them knows how to win.”

Davis said one of the major differences between when he won 25 years ago and today is the introduction of foreign runners. Last year the race was won by two-time champion Lukas Verzbicas of Lithuania. This year two of the favorites, Midwest Regional champion Futsum Zeinasellassie and Northeast titlist Edward Cheserek, have African ties.

“You have the Ethiopians, Kenyans, Somalians — guys who are used to running rugged terrain at a very high level,” said Davis. “We had zero foreign-born athletes when I ran. I think Meb (Mebrahtom Keflezighi of San Diego High and Eritrea) might have been the first.

“Now this race is like college and pros. It’s really the best and that’s good. These runners will learn what it’s like in college and beyond.”

Davis does think West Regional champ Darren Fahy of La Costa Canyon has an advantage having run this course on numerous occasions, even if it’s his fourth straight big race.

“If he’s been keen to pay attention to what works to his advantage, it will help,” said Davis, who had two weeks off when he won the national title because California did not introduce the state cross country championships until 1987. “Any knowledge is huge because some of these runners have never been on the course. If he has been peaking for this, four races won’t hurt him. He may need races to keep race fit.”

Davis was reminded that when he won, he not only took it out and blistered the course, he celebrated with the huge local crowd over the final 200 meters, waving his hands above his head and slowing noticeably over that last furlong.

It cost him the record, which was set in 1985 by Ruben Reina at 14:36.

“I was enjoying the moment, saluting the crowd, and that far outweighs any record,” said Davis, who immediately after the race kicked a trash can in frustration but clearly has mellowed. “You are the national champion and they can’t take that away. The record is something that could fall any year, but there are so many variables — weather, competition, the terrain that day.

“It was by far my best high school performance and overall is short only of making the Olympic team (1996 in Atlanta) and making the Olympic Games final (in the steeplechase). It set me up for the rest of my career.”

And what a career. Davis attended the University of Arizona, where he won numerous national titles and then ran everything from the 1,500 to the 5,000 to the steeplechase on the track, qualifying for the Olympic Trials in 1992, 1996 and 2000.